The present switch is designed to switch high amperage direct current. Prior art solutions utilized precious metal contacts on leaf spring blades or small stiff rocking blades. The prior art switches have been satisfactory but with the increasing cost of precious metal contacts the cost of such switches becomes less attractive. Furthermore, with the high current capacity required in certain automotive uses the prior art switches were subject to failure without provision of additional wiping action on the contacts which calls for a redesign of the switch.
Comerford U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,592 discloses a switch which has high current capacity without the use of precious metal contacts but that switch blade requires too much space if used in a four-way switch configuration.